Lecythis pisonis

Name and publication

Lecythis pisonis Cambess., A. F. C. P. de Saint-Hilaire, Fl. Bras. Merid. 2: 377 (1833).

Description

Fruits of the monkey-pot, sapucaia, or castanha-de-sapucaia are sold in the potpourri trade as "monkey pods," "sapucaja," or "chapeuzinho." The bowl-shaped (globose, oblong, or turbinate), woody pyxidium is 6-15 cm long x 8.5-30 cm wide, the pericarp up to 3 cm thick, irregularly rugose.

Nativity and distribution

Lecythis pisonis is native to Brazil and Peru.

Family

Lecythidaceae